


Chicken & Beer

by tangerinecoffee



Category: Winner (Band)
Genre: Canon-Compliant, IGLive, M/M, chicken&beer, imissnamsongsomuchhelp, lolwhatamidoingwithmylife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 11:32:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11207217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tangerinecoffee/pseuds/tangerinecoffee
Summary: Canon-compliant. Minho learns about Taehyun’s IG lives.





	Chicken & Beer

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by Dita7994  
> And for the Chicken & Beer Group, let’s smile more. :D

 

 

  
_Please be okay._

 

 

Minho scurries through his closet. No time for what shirt pairs well with what pants, no time to think of whether to put on a pair of sandals or sneakers, no time to choose from caps or sunglasses, no time to nurse over his throbbing headache. He just grabs an old hoody and a mask, put them on with no grace, and then stomps over to their dorm’s door, not answering any of the other members’ questions.

 

He’s on his way to the train station, large strides of hesitation and worry heavy in his feet. He pats around his pockets and realizes he doesn’t have his phone with him. He must’ve left it at home in his hurry. At least he didn’t forget his wallet and he didn’t have time to think more of it anyway when he wedges himself in one of the trains.

 

  
He and Taehyun had broken it off for almost a year now. But both of them still find it hard to let go of what once was, so they kept on treading through their nameless and vague relationship. In Minho’s opinion, their relationship is the same roller-coaster of on and off, hot and cold, make up and break up. They were last together the month prior, talked about how both of them wanted to try it again just one last time (like all the times they did before), both of them promising more patience, more understanding, more sensitivity. Because even if there’s a million reasons to just drop the whole thing, they still have that one reason to keep their hold on it –

 

Love.

 

Minho remembers the way Taehyun cried and poured his heart out through his live feed. Taehyun is never someone who liked showing his weak side but somehow, the loneliness took over and made him feel no one is there for him.

 

Not even Minho.

 

They hadn’t talked for a while because of their busy schedules, but earlier that day, Minho learned of the dating rumors recurring again and he was suddenly blinded by unreasonable jealousy. He and Taehyun had been seeing each other for some times in the past weeks, slowly piecing back the fragments of their relationship (Minho doesn’t know what to call it since none of them actually said they want to go back to what they were before, they only knew that they still aren’t over each other. He talked about this with Seungyoon and realized that technically, Taehyun is his _ex._ ) They were doing well with it – successfully hiding from prying eyes and nosy noses, even their close friends are somehow oblivious to the fact that they are still somehow, together. Even if their meetings were mostly through cameras and video messages and sneaky calls, Minho was genuinely happy.

 

 

  
“It’s just… I don’t know – _unfair_? We’re never allowed to meet and yet… you can just walk to her movie set and be all friendly with her.”

 

“I was with the others. I didn’t go there alone. She’s just a close friend, you know that.”

 

“And I am just the jealous ex.”

 

“Hyung –”

 

“I know. I just – I’m sorry, okay? I don’t feel comfortable with this at all. I’ve been trying my best to not go and see you but you go around meeting everyone you want to – except me.”

 

A sigh, “You know our situation is as complicated as it can be. You know the reason why I just can’t go to you.”

 

An exasperated exhale, “Yeah I know. But I wish you’re as brave to try and see me like you are with leaving the group.”

 

 

Minho knows what he said was uncalled for. Taehyun leaving wasn’t easy for any of them, and yet he spit those words like Taehyun didn’t bother about the pain he’d caused. But at that time, he was too annoyed, very irritated, maybe even mad (not to mention tired). He was aware that he was (in a way) reminding himself of that too: _Be brave for him._

 

_Be brave for me._

 

But he only managed to make the situation worse.

 

 

 

_I quit drinking._

 

He even joked about Taehyun quitting drinking because he lost his drinking buddy.

 

“Want me to come over? I’ll bring chicken and beer.”

 

Minho intentionally teased Taehyun. Triggered memories of that _sentimental night_ and waited patiently for Taehyun’s reply.

 

“I’d like that,” Taehyun’s voice was lonely, maybe even hurt. “But it won’t be good to have you here for now.”

 

Minho wanted to ask why.

 

 

_Am I just going to be a bother?_

 

_You don’t want to see me?_

 

_Is it too much to ask?_

 

  
_Why?_

 

But he ended up faking laughter and telling an obvious lie of Jhonny begging for food and he ended the call without even saying good night.

 

 

  
Minho stepped off of the train station and started jogging towards Taehyun’s studio. He bumped a few people and tripped on some rocks and stones but he barely noticed any of it (wasn’t even aware that he was wearing sandals that weren’t a pair). When he was finally close to the studio, he heard voices from inside and waited.

 

“Oh, good morning..?” Greeted a man with a small face, looking at him with narrow eyes.

 

Minho recognizes them as Taehyun’s band members. “Morning,” He answered before removing his mask. “Is Taehyun inside?”

 

Another man with a pair of large eyes steps forward. “Song Minho?” Minho smiles faintly. “He’s inside, sleeping. We’re supposed to practice but he’s still asleep so I think it’s postponed?”

 

“At least Yooni’s saved from the trouble, she’s with her dentist.” Said another man.

 

“She has an appointment with her dentist not _she’s with her dentist_.”

 

“But that’s just the same –”

 

The trio talked about a topic Minho completely doesn’t have any idea of briefly before they returned their attention to Minho.

 

“Here,” Minho accepts the plastic bag filled with vegetables. “My mom wants me to give it to him but he’s still sleeping. Just come in, you’re his friend right?”

 

Minho nods and waves at them as they walk away.

 

 

  
He invites himself inside the place and sees Taehyun sleeping. Minho silently walks over to him, careful not to wake him up. He traces his eyes along Taehyun’s bloated cheeks, his puffy eyes. Minho glides his hand along Taehyun’s forehead gently to push back some strands off of his face and notices how pale Taehyun is.

 

“Did you even eat?” He whispered, chest hurting at how defeated Taehyun looked.

 

Minho didn’t have the heart to wake him up (he clearly needs more rest), so instead he borrowed the kitchen and started to make soup the best he can.

 

He left the meal in the pot and on top of it, a note.

 

Minho walks over and kisses Taehyun’s forehead lightly, looks at him one last time before finally going out and returning to the dorms.

 

 

 

 

*  
Taehyun wakes up with a terrible headache.

 

The light rays are killing him. Today is not a good day. He made a bad move last night when he decided to drink. For sure all those articles will blow up again. Not to mention he has to film another music video today.

 

He sighs and looks up at the ceiling, focusing on that one dark spot he always wanted to remove but is too lazy to. It always gets his attention, maybe because it’s so different from the others that it stands out.

 

It stands out because it’s different.

 

But different doesn’t always equate to it being good.

 

Is he somehow like that?

 

He shakes his head from side to side forcefully, trying to drive his insecurities away with it.

 

  
_“But I wish you’re as brave to try and see me like you are with leaving the group.”_

 

  
Minho… is he aware of the lives his done? Maybe he is. Screw that, of course he is. It’s impossible to miss the headlines that always start with _“FORMER WINNER MEMBER NAM TAEHYUN –_ ” so he just wonders what the rest of the headlines will say.

 

Taehyun reaches for his phone, hoping to at least get a text from Minho.

 

There isn’t any.

 

He rests the back of his neck on the wall, feels the cold seeping through the fabric of his shirt.

 

And then he smells something. Maybe it’s because his stomach is now complaining but he begins to drag himself over to the kitchen anyway, eager at the thought of something edible by the stove.

 

He scratches the base of his neck, remembers nothing about cooking the night before, stretches his limbs and finally sees a note, it reads:

 

  
_“It’s not chicken and beer because you shouldn’t take those together without me. The next time you want to get drunk, I’m just a call away – You know I’ll come running whether it’s 3 or 5 in the morning._

 

_I’m just here.”_

 

  
Taehyun bits his bottom lip down and chews the inside of his cheek. “He was here.”

 

 

 


End file.
